Breakfast at Plan 9

Are you an ex-pat American living in London?  Do you miss the boxes of Mac & Cheese you used to eat as snacks in college, Oreo or Apple Strudel flavored Pop-Tarts in the morning, A&W Root Beer with your pizza, Jif peanut butter on your peanut butter and jelly sandwich, Vlasic dill pickles with your lunch, thick, ice-creamy milkshakes or blueberry and cream-cheese filled French toast?   Plan 9 knows.  That's why they import everything from Babe Ruth candy bars to A&W for you to purchase in their lovely, cosy little cafe located on Castellain Road, Maida Vale.  This is where I drag my sorry self on Saturday or Sunday mornings when I'm feeling a bit homesick and am craving some familiar American-style cooking.  Along with my "Best Little Fry Up" breakfast this morning (which is more English than American, but still, it was delicious), I was very happy to purchase a box of Apple Strudel Pop-Tarts since I've run out.  The tables are well supplied with American magazines and newspapers and there's free wi-fi - for a second, you'd just might forget you were in London and in New York instead.

Although you'll hear a lot of American voices at this tiny cafe, it's a favorite amongst British Maida Valers as well and there's often not enough seating, so you're better off ordering to go (unless you're hangover free and can get there a little earlier).  Along with the fry-up, I've also tried the blueberry cream-cheese stuffed French toast which was excellent and a banana milkshake, which was lovely and thick, just like they make them in the States.  Now if only I can get them to start stocking Swiss Miss hot chocolate ...

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